State profile · Below median Poor share

Washington bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in Washington.

8,474
Public bridges
50.1%
Good condition
5.5%
Poor condition

Washington has 8,474 public highway bridges in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, and 462 of them are rated Poor.

That is 5.5% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 24 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

8,474

Public highway bridges in Washington

Good Condition

50.1%

4,246 bridges rated 7-9

0.1pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

5.5%

462 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

-2.1pp vs national avg 7.5%

Washington vs national bridge condition

Washington - Good condition share 50.1%
National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Washington - Poor-condition share 18.2%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

Washington in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Washington has 8,474 bridges and a 5.5% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #24 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: Washington has 8,474 bridges and a 5.5% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #24 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

Washington vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

8,474 29th of 54 higher than 25 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for Washington

The highlighted point is Washington: 8,474 bridges and 5.45% in Poor condition, rank #24 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below Washington on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Kansas: 24,894 bridges · 5.26% Poor
  • Arkansas: 12,974 bridges · 5.43% Poor
  • Washington: 8,474 bridges · 5.45% Poor
  • California: 25,848 bridges · 5.91% Poor
  • New Jersey: 6,827 bridges · 6.01% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in Washington

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 8,474 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains Washington’s inventory

State agency holds 39.9% of the 8,474 public highway bridges filed under Washington in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When Washington’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 12.8% of the 8,474 bridges with a recorded original year in Washington. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

Washington50.1%44.4%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - Washington (FHWA NBI)

Counties (39)

Adams 187 Asotin 29 Benton 167 Chelan 149 Clallam 151 Clark 218 Columbia 86 Cowlitz 160 Douglas 40 Ferry 53 Franklin 134 Garfield 54 Grant 306 Grays Harbor 363 Island 7 Jefferson 99 King 1238 Kitsap 115 Kittitas 308 Klickitat 90 Lewis 419 Lincoln 180 Mason 133 Okanogan 161 Pacific 120 Pend Oreille 71 Pierce 472 San Juan 13 Skagit 254 Skamania 120 Snohomish 500 Spokane 307 Stevens 75 Thurston 205 Wahkiakum 36 Walla Walla 195 Whatcom 354 Whitman 347 Yakima 558

Washington vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below Washington on the same metric.

KS

Kansas

5.26% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$24,894

AR

Arkansas

5.43% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$12,974
Selected

WA

Washington

5.45% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$8,474

CA

California

5.91% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$25,848

NJ

New Jersey

6.01% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$6,827

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Washington

Six lowest-condition bridges in Washington, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

STATE ROUTE 509

Poor

Over: PUYALLUP WATERWAY RR

2.5 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1911 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 2,400

I-82

Poor

Over: WASTEWATER NUMBER 3

8.4 E JCT US 97, Yakima, WA

Built 1980 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 28,146

Fish War Mem X-ing

Poor

Over: PUYALLUP RIVER

0.2 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1925 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 15,255

POST STREET

Poor

Over: SPOKANE RIVER

00.6 N OF I-90, Spokane, WA

Built 1917 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 1,685

W Galer Street

Poor

Over: Private Road

Magnolia Seattle, King, WA

Built 1929 Load: 0.0 t

SILVER CK RD 00670

Poor

Over: NINE MILE CREEK

19.05 E SR 21, Ferry, WA

Built 1958 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 47

All Bridges in Washington

W-NE

Good

Over: BLACKROCK COULEE

W NE 0.2 S of 16, Grant, WA

Built 2003 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 235

STONEY CREEK DRIVE

Good

Over: STONEY CREEK

0.1M S. SHANGRI-LA WAY, King, WA

Built 2007 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 350

SKOK. RIVER RD

Good

Over: WEAVER CREEK

0.69 W JCT SR101, Mason, WA

Built 2012 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 494

North Shore Road

Good

Over: Great Bend Creek

13.3 M JCT SR 300, Mason, WA

Built 2022 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 513

WITTE ROAD

Good

Over: JENKINS CREEK

0.18 M S OF SE 248TH ST, King, WA

Built 2022 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 8,100

BRENTWOOD DR

Good

Over: NOOKSACK SLOUGH

0.04 MI. W. OF GILLIES RD, Whatcom, WA

Built 2023 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 600

HEADWORKS MAINTENA

Good

Over: CRAB CREEK SIPHON NO. 1

Crab Ck Siphon No. 1 Inle, Grant, WA

Built 1947 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 10

Canal Maintenance

Good

Over: East Low Canal - Crab Ck

Crab Ck Siphon No.1 Outle, Grant, WA

Built 1947 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 5

Canal Maintenance

Good

Over: East Low Canal - Brkn Rk

Broken Rock Siphon No.1 I, Grant, WA

Built 1947 Load: 43.8 t ADT: 2

ROAD

Good

Over: BOULDER CREEK

10.3 MI N OF HWY 2, Snohomish, WA

Built 1993 Load: 43.9 t ADT: 44

I-90

Good

Over: W SNOQUALMIE IC

1.7 E JCT SR 18, King, WA

Built 1976 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 25,826

SR 520

Good

Over: LAKE WASHINGTON

2.9 E JCT SR 513, King, WA

Built 2016 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 28,189

SB ON RAMP

Good

Over: TERRAIN

7.7 N THURSTON CO, Pierce, WA

Built 2020 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 6,443

I-90 EB

Good

Over: TALAPUS CR TRIBUTARY

15.7 E JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1972 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 18,193

SR 28

Good

Over: COAL CREEK

24.3 E JCT SR 21, Lincoln, WA

Built 1948 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 522

W Br LeClerc Ck Rd

Good

Over: WB LeClerc Creek

4mile n/o LeClerc Crk Rd, Pend Oreille, WA

Built 2009 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 33

35TH AVE NE

Good

Over: THORTON CREEK

0.5 MILE EAST OF SR 522, King, WA

Built 2014 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 13,900

PEARL HILL RD.

Good

Over: FOSTER CREEK

0.25E JCT. 17 173, Douglas, WA

Built 2016 Load: 44.1 t ADT: 352

SR 542

Good

Over: SMITH CREEK

1.3 E JCT SR 9, Whatcom, WA

Built 1948 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 9,002

I-5 S RAMP TO 45TH

Good

Over: 50TH RAMP TO I-5 S

1.4 N JCT SR 520, King, WA

Built 1961 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 10,013

I-405

Good

Over: SR 515

0.5 N JCT SR 167, King, WA

Built 1964 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 91,263

PIKE ST

Good

Over: I-5

1.5 N JCT I-90, King, WA

Built 1964 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 12,100

MILITARY ROAD

Good

Over: S-W RAMP TO S 188TH ST

3.3 N JCT SR 516, King, WA

Built 1964 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 14,741

SR 520

Good

Over: 108TH AVE NE

5.2 E JCT SR 513, King, WA

Built 1966 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 26,056

PRATER RD

Good

Over: I-90

7.0 E JCT I-82, Kittitas, WA

Built 1968 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 188

SR 821

Good

Over: I-82

JCT I-82, Yakima, WA

Built 1969 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 4,883

I-405

Good

Over: NE 85TH ST

3.3 N JCT SR 520, King, WA

Built 1971 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 79,078

NE 134TH ST

Good

Over: I-205

5.8 N JCT SR 500, Clark, WA

Built 1972 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 21,340

I-90

Good

Over: S FK SNOQUALMIE RIVER

1.3 E JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1975 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 23,108

I-90

Good

Over: S FK SNOQUALMIE RIVER

1.3 E JCT SR 202, King, WA

Built 1975 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 23,108

ROGERS RD

Good

Over: I-5

0.2 N COWLITZ CO, Lewis, WA

Built 1976 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 2,666

I-5

Good

Over: KELSO AVE (OLD SR 431)

0.9 N JCT SR 4, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1980 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 26,851

SR 504

Good

Over: TOUTLE RIVER

11.0 E JCT I-5, Cowlitz, WA

Built 1982 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 1,014

SR 16

Good

Over: 6TH AVE

3.5 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 1983 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 36,070

US 101

Good

Over: SR 108

3.5 S JCT SR 3, Mason, WA

Built 1986 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 21,694

I-90 WESTBOUND

Good

Over: Sound Transit Railroad

0.3 E JCT I-5, King, WA

Built 1988 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 52,043

CEDAR AVE S

Good

Over: I-405

0.8 N JCT SR 515, King, WA

Built 1993 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 1,550

US 2

Good

Over: EBEY ISLAND

0.8 E JCT I-5, Snohomish, WA

Built 1999 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 39,701

SR 20

Good

Over: TWISP R

38.8 E CHELAN CO, Okanogan, WA

Built 2000 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 4,423

SE 256TH ST

Good

Over: JENKINS CREEK

0.2 N SR 18, King, WA

Built 2002 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 10,000

HIGHLANDS DR

Good

Over: I-90 E FK ISSAQUAH CR

2.1 E JCT SR 900, King, WA

Built 2003 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 11,503

US 395 N-E RAMP

Good

Over: FARWELL RD

8.9 N JCT I-90, Spokane, WA

Built 2004 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 2,540

SR 106

Good

Over: SKOBOB CREEK

0.8 E JCT US 101, Mason, WA

Built 2005 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 1,584

NB I-5 RAMP

Good

Over: DILLENBAUGH CREEK

3.8 N JCT SR 508, Lewis, WA

Built 2009 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 2,590

SR 20

Good

Over: MEADOW CREEK

2.8 E ISLAND CO, Skagit, WA

Built 2008 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 15,819

SB SR 539

Good

Over: NOOKSACK R OVERFLOW

1.7 N JCT SR 544, Whatcom, WA

Built 2009 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 8,300

SR 16

Good

Over: S TACOMA WAY/STRR/CENTER

0.1 N JCT I-5, Pierce, WA

Built 2011 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 44,341

US 395

Good

Over: US 2

9.2 N JCT I-90, Spokane, WA

Built 2011 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 3,581

US 12

Good

Over: TIETON RIVER

26.0 E LEWIS CO, Yakima, WA

Built 2010 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 2,265

SR 241

Good

Over: DRY CREEK

15.5 N JCT I-82, Yakima, WA

Built 2010 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 1,511

Showing 6,801-6,850 of 8,474 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What to do with this

Use Washington's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in Washington and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Washington Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.